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Winemaker's Notes

I have to say, I love my Pinot Gris vineyards. These vineyards are just gorgeous, with every leaf and shoot neatly in place. The majority (75%) of the grapes come from our Cat Canyon Vineyard near Los Alamos. Block 1A-S is planted to Pinot Gris of clone 146 on Freedom rootstock, producing fruit with crisp acidity and fresh notes of lemon and lime. The wines from this block have a focused line of minerality running through them – a quality I have always admired in Alsatian Pinot Gris. The rest of the grapes for the blend are from two blocks in our North Canyon Vineyard in the Santa Maria Valley. Yields in this vineyard are typically quite low and the vines have to struggle to gain flavor in the meager soils, which are predominantly clay loam and some shale.

Critical Acclaim

WE90

Wine Enthusiast - "With just a touch of oak that adds a little cream, this beautiful wine is a textbook example of why Pinot Gris has been so successful in California. Fully dry and explosively crisp in acidity, the flavors are exotic and complex, ranging from pink grapefruits and limes through lychees and figs to honeysuckle flowers and clove-scented vanilla. A great food wine and, at this price, a sommelier’s dream."

TAZ Winery

TAZ Vineyards, like many artisan producers in Santa Barbara County, is located in a winemaker's cooperative warehouse in Santa Maria. Vision and fervent passion earned Bob "Taz" Steinhauer the Tasmanian devil nickname. From the vineyards to the scale houses, this nickname stuck as he feverishly led the development of some of California's most notable vineyards. While his legendary career spanned four decades of grape growing in the Napa Valley, it was the rustic spirit of Santa Barbara that stole his heart. Perfect soils and climate led him to this spectacular region to plant vineyards.

"Taz" Steinhauer is considered a pioneer whose unswerving dedication to unlocking the secrets of the Central Coast over the past several years has contributed directly to the rising acclaim for wines from the region. He shared his passion and his insights broadly with local growers, always pushing for higher levels of quality and an approach that allowed each vineyard to evolve to its fullest viticultural expression.
View all TAZ Wines

About Central Coast

The largest of California's wine growing regions, the Central Coast produces the majority of California's wine. The district sprawls out, covering most of the vineyard land between San Francisco and Santa Barbara. Smaller sub-AVAs of the Central Coast include Monterey Bay, Paso Robles, Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Maria Valley, Santa Cruz Mountains and many others.

Notable Facts

Grape varieties range from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay to Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel. Some Central Coast wine is generic, bulk wine that contributes to the high production numbers of the area. But many winemakers and wineries, particular in some of the smaller AVAs, are small production artisans, creating unique and high-quality wine. The great thing about the Central Coast is its diversity - you're able to find a number of grape varieties and styles at a number of different price points.

About California

It's not rare to see a wine's country of origin listed as "California." A country into itself in the wine world, California makes enough varieties and styles to match many European wine countries. It produces a diverse range of wines that span the quality spectrum.

The most famous of the California wine regions is Napa Valley, and these wines are certainly outstanding – but it's not as broad and diverse as its larger neighbor, Sonoma County. Down south, Santa Barbara's Santa Maria Valley is well-known for its Rhône blends, as well as cool-climate varieties like Pinot and Chardonnay. The Central Coast, the largest California AVA, has many different microclimates that lead to a wide range of wines with many sub-AVAs.

The Pinot Gris is made from our 5 acre estate vineyard, Emilia, named after Paul's mother in law; it borders
the north side of the winery and tasting room. It was planted in 1993 at a high density with two ...

Alcohol By Volume Guide

Most wine ranges from 10-16% alcohol by volume. Some varietals tend to have higher (for example Zinfandel and Cabernet Sauvignon) or lower alcohol levels (Pinot Noir and many white varietals), but there is always some variation from producer to producer. Some wine falls outside of this range, for instance Port weighs in closer to 20%, while Muscat and Riesling are usually a bit below 10%.

Wine Style Guide

Light & Crisp

Light to medium bodied wines that are high in acid and light to medium fruit. Typically no oak.